Barrio Comida chooses Durham for first permanent site

Following a successful year-long residency in Newcastle taqueria Barrio Comida is to launch a permanent, multi-faceted location in Durham city centre.

Expected to open next month, the restaurant will have 144 covers overall across a ground floor restaurant, basement bar and a patio. It will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday and open for brunch only on Sundays.

The food and drinks menus will be heavily focused on Mexican dishes with an emphasis on regional tacos. Seven different varieties of corn will be imported from smallholding farms throughout Mexico to make the tortillas.

The site will also house a more upscale Mexican concept called La Mesa at Barrio Comida which will be comprised of one large communal table for 16 people and four counter seats in front of the kitchen. The food at La Mesa will be a 'modern interpretation of Mexicos vast culinary landscape while utilising the best of British and European produce'.

Alongside the restaurants there will be a small retail area that will sell a large range of dried chiles, corn and fresh tortillas.

Barrio Comida was founded in 2015 by Shaun Hurrell, formerly of St John Hotel, Marcus at The Berkeley Hotel and Kitchen Table. Front of house operations will be headed up by Victoria Soulsby, most recently assistant general manager at Dean Street Townhouse in Soho.